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One Wall Paddleball Rules
One wall paddleball is a game played by two teams in which a ball is hit by a paddle against a wall in such a manner that it creates an exchange or volley between the two teams. Each point or volley is begun with the ball being served against the wall. The volleying continues back and forth until one team fails to return the ball in accordance with the rules. Each team must hit the ball in consecutive order. Any member on the team can hit for the team.
2.A: A legally played ball is one that is struck in the proper order by the players on a fly or one bounce. The ball must bounce both in the playing area of the wall and the floor. Violation is an out.
2.B: The order of hitting the ball must be constant during the volley. Any team that make contact with the ball out of order will be out. The order alternates from one team to the other.
2.C: A team that is struck with its returned ball will be out. The out overrides a block call. Exception to this rule is; When a ball rebounds off the wall and passes both opponents, who have no chance to return the ball, and the ball hits one of the hitting team without bouncing, the referee shall determine if the ball would have bounced fair or out. If the ball was determined to bounce out the hitting team is out. If the ball was determined to bounce fair, the volley has been won be the hitting team. Similarly, if the ball passes both opponents, with no chance of returning the ball, bounces and hits the hitting team, then the hitting team wins the volley. A reasonable attempt must be made to return the ball in play.
2.D: A team may swing and miss any number of times at the ball until it has bounced twice.
2.E: The hand, that is holding the paddle, from the wrist down is part of the paddle and is legal contact area.
2.F: The paddle can be switched from one hand to the other.
2.G: Should a player's paddle be dislodged, the player is out. Should a player's paddle be dislodged accidental by his/her opponent, the volley will be replayed.
2.H: Once a ball is served, no appeal can be requested for a prior play.
2.I: :Substitution of a partner is not allowed once the team requesting a substitution has begun playing in a tournament.
Exception: Substitutions are allowed for all Final Four Teams that advance to the semi-finals and the championship games,. Each Final Four Team is required to report to the tournament committee the teams substitute. A substitute can not be one of the Final Four Team members. This exception must be approved by the tournament committee.
2.J: Time outs are as follows.
2K: A block will be granted if a team hitting the ball, and the ball, on its why to the wall, hits the opposing team before bouncing. The referee will determine if the ball would have bounced fair. If the referee determines that the ball would have bounced out, than the hitting team is out.
2L: Out overrides all blocks and faults.
<p">Safety:
Paddleball is a game where there must be a great concern for safety of all participants and the National Paddleball Association stresses an extreme degree of safety at all times. The following safety rules are necessary for all to enjoy a game of paddleball.
3.A: The referee will stop the volley if he/she believes there is a danger of a player being hit with a paddle or a ball.
3.B: It is each player's obligation to exercise caution when swinging a paddle, and not to hit any player on the court. In such an instance, it is the responsibility of the referee to deem whether the player is swinging reckless or accidentally hit one of the players. In the cases of reckless swinging, the player will be ejected from the game.
3.C: The hitter must call "safety block" whenever he/she believes there is a danger of hitting one of the players on the court with a paddle. When a player calls safety block, it does not automatically terminate the volley. The volley will continue until the referee has confirmed the safety block call (by shouting out "BLOCK"). If the referee does not confirm a safety block, the volley will continue. A safety block applies to all levels of players.
3.D: Backswing contact occurs when the hitter unintentionally causes contact with the backward motion of the swing with his/her opponent. Play will stop and a the volley will be replayed.
3.E : Moving into the swing of another player is an out. The out is charged to the player who is moving into the hitter's swing.
3.F : Follow through contact is when the hitter hits his/her opponent with a forward swing. If a hitter makes contact with his/her opponent in the course of a normal follow through, one the two will occur.
1.The Volley will continue.
2.The volley will stop and an out will be charged against the hitter.
Court :
4.A:The court shall consist of a wall, floor, non court area and boundary lines.
4.B : The wall is 16 feet in height from the bottom to the top edge of the boundary line. The width is 20 feet from the outside edge on the right boundary line to the outside edge of the left boundary line. The wall is at a 90 degree angel with the floor.
4.C : The floor is 20 feet in width from the outside edge of the right boundary line to the outside edge of the left boundary line. The length is 34 feet from the wall to the out side edge of the long line. The side line or non court area is to be a minimum of 6 feet from the outside boundary line on both sides of the court. The right & left boundary lines are to be 3 feet past the long line.
4.D : The short line runs parallel with the wall and extends from the right boundary line to the left boundary line. It is 16 feet from the back outside edge to the wall.
4.E : The long line runs parallel with the wall and extends from the right boundary line to the left boundary line. It is 34 feet from the back edge of the outside edge to the wall.
4.F : Service markers are lines that are 6 inches in length and are located midway between the short line and the long line.
4.G : Lines are 1 1/2 inches in width.
4.H: The color of the court should be a light shade of Gray, Blue, Beige or white. The color of the all lines are to be black.
4.J: The surface of the wall and floor is to be smooth and level. All irregularities are to be removed.
4.K : The materials for the wall and floor can be wood, tempered glass (Wall only), concrete, Plexiglas (wall only) or any other materiel that can sustain the weight of four players. The court is to be reinforced to remove all dead spots.
Paddle & Balls
5.A: The paddle can be no longer than 18 inches from the edge of it's face to the edge of the handle. The face can not be wider than 9 inches. The paddle can not have any stringing such as a tennis racquet. A paddle found unfit for play by a referee will not be permitted for use in any tournaments.
5.B: The ball shall be made of rubber with a 1 7/8 inch diameter with a 1/32 inch in variance. The weight shall be 2 3/10 ounces with a 2/10 th ounce variance. The ball should rebound 44 to 52 inches from a 70 inch drop at 68 degree Fahrenheit.
Officials :
6.A : For all championship matches there is a head referee, four lines judges and a score keeper.
6.B : The head referee will have complete knowledge of all rules, tournament regulations, and their proper enforcement. Check the playing area for suitability of play before and during the game. Administer penalties in accordance with the rules and forfeitures when a player(s) engage in unsportsmanlike conduct. The referee introduces all the players to one another and holds a toss of the coin to determine which team will serve first.
6.C : Line judges are to be located on the short line, long line, and the right and left boundary lines. Line judges are to be facing their respective lines and their main objective is to call if the ball or player(s) are out/faulted. They are to be assertive and alert at all times, and are asked to render their opinion for appeals.
6.D: Short line judge: Is responsible to call all short serves, under serves, and servers foot faults.
6.E: Long line judge: Is responsible to call all long serves, and balls that bounce past the long line during a volley.
6.F: Right line judge: Is responsible to call all out serves and volley shots on the right side of the court , all foot faults and illegal court entry of the non-serving player.
6.G: Left line judge: Is responsible to call all out serves and volley shots on the left side of the court , all foot faults and illegal court entry of the non-serving player.
6.H : The score keeper is to keep an accurate record of the score and is to keep the teams informed as to the progress of the game. The scorer is to announce the score after each volley.
Service :
7.A: To determine which team will serve first, a coin is tossed. The winning team of the toss will elect whether to serve or receive.
7.B: Legal Serve : The ball is required to hit inbound on the wall first and rebound into the service and receiving area.
7.C: Short Serve : The ball hits inbound on the wall and rebounds into the short service area. The ball is short if it bounces on the short line on a serve.
7.D: Long Serve : The ball hits inbound on the wall and rebounds into the long area. The ball is a legal serve if it bounces on the long line.
7.E: Service Release Bounces : The server must serve the ball on a bounce. The server is required to hit the ball after the first released bounce. The ball must bounce in the service area. Violation is a serving fault.
7.F: Practice Service Bounces: A reasonable amount of practice service bounces will be allotted to each server. Generally 3 to 6 bounces. Failure to comply with referees allotment will result in a warning. Future failure will result in a serving fault.
7.G: Service Miss : If the server swings at the ball and misses it, the server is out.
7.H: Service Position: The server must start and finish within the service area when in the act of serving. Violation is a fault.
7.I : Illegal Service Moving : The servers team can not step backwards into the receiving area until the receiving team hits the ball, and the receiving team can not step forwards into the service area until after they hit the ball. Violation of this illegal movement will result in an out for either team.
7.J: Paddle Position : The servers paddle is allowed to extend over the short line and the right or left boundary lines. The servers paddle is not allowed to extend over the service markers. The receiving teams paddle may not extend pass the service markers. Violation is an out.
7.K: Screened Serve : A screened serve happens when the server must move his/her body to let the ball pass after it rebounds off of the wall. A screen serve is replayed.
7.L: Hit with the served ball : If a served ball hits either of the serving teams members, than the server is out. If the served ball hits the receiving team on a fly, than it is a point.
7.M: Continuity of play : Service must commence within ten seconds after the score has been announced. Violation by any player is a fault.
7.N: Automatic Fault Area : AFA is determined by the position of the servers right foot and left foot at the conclusion of serving. Imaginary lines are draw parallel to the boundary lines from the wall to the long line and the width is determined by the right & left feet. SINGLES ONLY (See diagram)
DOUBLES SERVE
8.A: If the team winning the coin toss elects to serve first, than they have one serve for their first set of serves. If the team winning the coin toss declines the first serve, than the opposing team will have two serves for their 1st set of serves. From this point on both teams will have two serves a piece.
8.B: Each team has two serves.
8.C : Each serve has two faults
8.D : Each team member must serve.
8.E : Serving is in successive order (one after the other). If the successive order is changed than the serving team must announce "FIRST SERVE" before serving to the opponents. Failure to announce "FIRST SERVE" will result in the team losing both serves.
8.F : The first server on a team will serve until his/her team makes one out. The second server on the team will serve until his/her team makes a second out. Than the side will then be retired and the opposing team will serve.
8.G : The servers partner must stand off the court, between the extensions of the short line and the service marker, while his teammate is serving. The non serving partner's feet are not to be positioned on any of the boundary lines or service markers. The servers partner may enter the court area after the ball passes him/her. Violation will be a fault respectively.
8.H : The servers served ball may pass on either side of his/her partner.
8.I : The servers served ball is not to pass between his/her legs or the legs of his/her partner. If this occurs, the served ball is a fault
8.J : The server can serve from any position in the service area, and serve the ball on either side of his/her body.
SINGLES SERVE
9.A : Each team has one serve.
9.B : One fault is equal to an out.
9.C : Fault/Out denotes when the tournament committee has determined that the serving teams serve will consist of two faults.
Service areas : Major Service Area--Minor Service Area--Automatic Fault Area.
The position of the servers feet from start to finish of his/her serve divides the court into the Major Service Area--Minor Service Area--Automatic Fault Area.
Automatic Fault Area : AFA is determined by the position of the servers right foot and left foot at the conclusion of serving. Imaginary lines are draw parallel to the boundary lines from the wall to the long line and the width is determined by the right & left feet.
The ball ,during the serve (only), can not bounce into this area. Violation is a fault/out.
Major Service Area : MSA is the larger of the two remaining service areas. It is the area were the ball will be served into except when the server designates to serve into the Minor service area.
Minor Service Area : mSA is the smaller of the two remaining service areas. The server must announce to the opponent and the referee before serving into the mSA. Violation is an out.
9.D: If in the opinion of the referee the server creates two equal serving areas, both will be minor serving areas. The server will have to announce to the opponent and the referee which mSA he/she will serve into. Violation is a fault/out.
Receiving Service :
10.A : The receiving team can stand anywhere behind the service markers, on or off the court.
10.B : The receiving team must make contact with the ball, complete the follow-through swing before crossing the service marker with their body or paddle. Violation is a out.
10.C : The receiving team must allow a long served ball to bounce in the long area in order for a long fault to be charged to the server. If any contact by the receiving teams paddle or body is made with the ball before it bounces long, it will be consider a ball in play.
10.D : A served fly ball in which the receiving team swings at and misses, which bounces in the long area, or out of the boundary lines will be a long fault or server out respectively.
Illegal Movemen
11.A : Illegal movement is when a player on the either team moves in a manner which gives him/her an advantage by causing interference with the opponent's ability to play, see, or move to the ball. The referee will call a referee stop of play and penalized the illegal movement with the team being out.
Examples (Not limited)
**A team member taking position in front of his/her opponents when his/her partner is hitting the ball.
**Moving into the hitters forward or follow through swing.
**After diving, the player must remain in the down position if the ball is hit within an arms distance of his/her body. Violation is an out.
**A player will be call out if intentionally uses his/her body or paddle to prevent the ball from reaching the wall. **A player will be called out if he/she intentionally or unintentionally pushes or pushes off an opponent.
**If a player intentionally moves to block an opponents pursuit of the ball, he/she will be out.
11.B:Crossing the ball: When a player crosses the path of the ball that is rebounding from the wall. Violation is an out. For example; When the ball is rebounding from the wall and a player moves in a direction so that he/she crosses the path of the ball and interferes with the hitters play for the ball, than this is crossing the ball. Exception; When a player hits the ball and the rebounding shot from the wall is traveling directly at him/her, than the player can move to either the right or left regardless if he/she moves into the swing of the hitter. A block will be granted if called.
legal Movement
12.A : The opposing team must give full freedom to a player moving in a backward direction in pursuit of the ball. Intentional violation will be an out. Unintentional violation will be a block.
Faults :
13.A: Two consecutive faults will be an out.
13.B: A fault will remain with a server until a point or an out is obtained.
See Service and Receiving Service for other faults.
BLOCK
Only the referee can grant a block during a volley. The volley will continue until the referee grants the block call. If either team discontinues the volley without the referee's acknowledgement of a block call and the team fails to return the ball, the team is out
13.A : Safety block is called when the hitter feels that he/she is in danger of hitting his/her opponent with a paddle. The referee must grant the block call.
13.B : A ball passing between the legs of any player during a volley will be a block only when the opponent has a chance to return the ball into play and calls a block. It is not an automatic block.
13.C : No block shall be granted by a referee when a player's body blocks the opponent's view of the ball. A player is not required to move to give his/her opponent an opportunity to hit the ball.
**:Accidental bumping causes a player from returning a ball, then the volley will be replayed.
13.D: Trapping : If the ball hits a player because the opposing team trapped him/her with a paddle, than a block will be granted. This block must be requested by the team.
Outs or Points
14.A: Outside ball: Any ball bouncing outside the boundary lines (wall & floor) and pass the long line is an out or a point.
14.B: Ball hitting under: Any ball that hits the floor first on its trajectory towards the wall will be an under hit ball and is an out or a point.
14.C : A player will be called out if he/she purposely hits his/her opponent(s) with the ball.
